Kisumu Port is set to break its performance record this year, with the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) projecting that the lake port will handle over 200,000 metric tonnes of cargo by December this year.

This milestone would mark a huge development for the port, which has seen a remarkable uptick in business activity, particularly in the six months to June 2024.

According to KPA’s half-year performance report, Kisumu Port recorded a total cargo throughput of 125,503 metric tonnes, representing a 51.5 percent increase compared to the 60,910 metric tonnes handled during the same period last year.

The growth of 64,592 metric tonnes of cargo handled is a pointer to the port’s expanding role in regional trade, particularly in the transportation of bulk and petroleum products to neigbouring Uganda.

KPA said the surge in cargo throughput at the lake-side city has been accompanied by a notable increase in vessel traffic during this period.

By July 2024, Kisumu Port had recorded 116 vessel calls, nearly double the 53 calls registered during the comparable half in 2023. This increase is largely attributed to the growing demand for maritime transport services across the Lake Victoria region, which serves as a critical trade corridor for Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, KPA explained.

Among the vessels currently operating at Kisumu Port is the MV Uhuru. This vessel has been instrumental in ferrying a range of products including steel destined for neighbouring markets.

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KPA noted that MV Uhuru will soon to be joined by a new addition to the fleet—MV Uhuru II, the first ship to be assembled in Kenya, further enhancing the ports capacity to ship huge volume of goods.

MV Uhuru II, with a capacity of 1,800 tonnes, is optimized to carry both petroleum and bulk dry cargo, added KPA. It is equipped with modern engines, making it a vital asset for the port's operations.

In response to the ever-growing demand for petroleum products in the transit market, KPA noted that another fuel tanker, MT Kabaka Mutebi III, is set to join the fleet of vessels plying the Kisumu-Port Bell-Jinja routes.

This addition is expected to further enhance the port’s capacity to handle the increasing volume of petroleum products moving through the region.

Kisumu Port’s expansion has been bolstered by ongoing infrastructure projects aimed at increasing its operational capacity. The Kisumu jetty is currently undergoing a multibillion-shilling expansion, which will further raise the port's ability to handle petroleum products.

This investment is further buttressed by planned upgrades to the Kenya Pipeline Corporation's systems at the port’s loading bay, enabling simultaneous loading of petroleum products for both trucks and vessels shipment.

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